


music for the soul

by whatcaniwriteinthis



Series: TsukkiKage Week 2015 [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Asexual Kageyama Tobio, M/M, Music, Musician Tsukishima Kei, Pianist Tsukishima Kei, Pre-Slash, Pro Volleyball Player Kageyama Tobio, Pro Volleyball Player Oikawa Tooru, blink and you miss it daisuga, blink and you miss it iwaoi, implied kiyoyachi, this is longer than it needs to be, tsukkikageweek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 10:58:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5454179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatcaniwriteinthis/pseuds/whatcaniwriteinthis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tobio spends an unholy amount of time focusing on volleyball and volleyball related things but even he picks up the newspaper from time to time. Even he can recognize the name Tsukishima Kei- one of the greatest pianists of all time, revolutionary in the field of composing- it was in the newspaper so many times.</p><p>Tsukishima Kei is living in the same building as him. He is neighbors with Tsukishima Kei.</p><p>Hinata is never going to believe him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	music for the soul

**Author's Note:**

> for tsukkikage week day 3: music ~~/disney~~

It’s almost three in the morning when Tobio hears music being played. It’s piano music, soft and smooth, but it’s also three in the morning, and who else is awake? Who else, apart from himself? He ignores the music, even though as time passes it sounds more and more like someone is actually playing it. Maybe someone’s watching a movie.

 

It happens again, a few days later, when Oikawa-san is over. Tobio doesn’t know how to define their relationship. He respects Oikawa as his senior and as someone with experience in the field of professional volleyball. Oikawa, in turn, teases him and grudgingly gives him advice. Today, he is at Tobio’s house, eating Tobio’s food and making fun of the movies and books Tobio has on display. Tobio lets him. According to Iwazumi-san, Oikawa’s partner, this is the way he shows fondness.

Oikawa pauses in the middle of his rant about the “awesomeness” that is Independence Day (Tobio isn’t even sure why he has it, it might have been because of Oikawa himself), to listen carefully. “Is someone playing the piano?” he asks. It might have been a rhetorically question, but Tobio shrugs anyways.

“They’re pretty good.” Oikawa frowns, like he’s thinking hard, and then continues airily, “Well, thank you for having me Tobio-chan.”

“You’re welcome.” Tobio replies, even though Oikawa didn’t really give him much of a choice. He leads Oikawa to the door. When he opens it, the music seems to grow louder. Whoever is playing is on the same floor. He knows the old lady across from him, and the two young women next to him. He isn’t sure who lives diagonally to him. He’s contemplating this as Oikawa steps out. He pauses in the hallway, coming to the same conclusions as Tobio.

“You should find out who is playing.” he says. Then he grins and adds teasingly, “It might even be _romantic_.”

“Good night Oikawa-san.” Tobio tries not to sigh. Social interactions of any kind always tire him faster than any form of practice, but Oikawa has this special way of completely draining him.

“Goodbye Tobio-chan!” Oikawa sings. Tobio closes the door after him and tries not to feel relieved.

 

He sees his neighbor in the elevator the next day, as he drags himself tiredly back home after practice. He’s tall and blond and wears glasses. _He’d be a good blocker._ Tobio thinks slowly. He takes in the man’s form- his tall stature, wide shoulders and long fingers. When they get off on the same floor, he realizes that this man is the one who plays the piano.

The appropriate thing to do would probably be to introduce himself. Instead, his tired mind comes up with: “You play pretty well.” He’s almost to his door, almost to freedom and sleep and food when he says this. Hinata would have laughed at him.

“Thank you.” the man replies quietly and then enters his apartment. He probably thinks Tobio is a creep.

 

The water isn’t working right on Tobio’s day off and he feels like screaming. It’s three in the afternoon, around the time Takahashi–san usually is asleep. He tries not to bother Yachi or Shimizu too much, mainly because Yachi is very easily flustered. If he wants to find out what’s wrong, he’ll have to ask the only person left on the floor.

Soft piano music can faintly be heard through the man’s door, but when Tobio rings the door bell, it cuts off abruptly. A few moments later the blond man opens the door and Tobio is again struck by the realization of how _tall_ he is. He hopes he doesn’t say anything stupid again.

“Hello, I am Kageyama Tobio.” he says briskly. “I live in 6C.” He points to his own apartment door.

The man’s mouth parts slightly. “Ah,” he says simply. He doesn’t say anything after that and Kageyama is a little nonplussed.

“I-I was wondering if you know why the water isn’t working properly.” he says eventually. Holding conversations is hard enough for him, but talking to someone he doesn’t know who isn’t even interested is an entirely different level.

“I think one of the pumps is being fixed.” the man explains. He tilts his head a little and Tobio feels like he’s being looked down upon, a feeling he hasn’t had since he was eleven and told his junior high team’s coach that he was going to play for Japan’s national team. It wasn’t a fun feeling then, and it certainly isn’t a fun feeling now, especially since he is now only a few steps away from becoming a regular player.

“You’re the volleyball player.” the man says, which was exactly what Tobio was expecting. If you don’t play a well watched sport, you will always be on the receiving end of derisive comments.

“Yes.” he answers stiffly. “You play the piano.” The other man smirks.

“I do.” he responds and now what? What is Tobio expected to say? How does he answer that?

“Thank you for your help.” he says formally, and then bows, just a little. He’s walking back to his apartment, when the man calls after him.

“My name is Tsukishima Kei.” he says, just barely raising his voice, but Tobio can hear him just the same. He whirls around, eyes wide, to see the man’s door- _Tsukishima Kei’s door_ \- close.

Now, Tobio spends an unholy amount of time focusing on volleyball and volleyball related things but even he picks up the newspaper from time to time. Even he can recognize the name Tsukishima Kei- one of the greatest pianists of all time, revolutionary in the field of composing- it was in the newspaper so many times.

Tsukishima Kei is living in the same building as him. He is neighbors with _Tsukishima Kei_.

Hinata is never going to believe him.                                      

 

Much to Tobio’s dismay, the power had gone out.

He stares up at the ceiling, trying not to think about practice and how he would have to call in sick. He loves volleyball, but even he can’t play on anything less than seven hours of sleep. He’s tried, and it never ends well.

Also, Oikawa has a scary sixth sense about when someone isn’t feeling one hundred per cent. He is scarily perceptive in that way, to the point that Hinata has developed a theory that Oikawa actually has spies hidden near everyone’s homes.

Images of Oikawa obsessively checking up on a team he isn’t even captain of flood Tobio’s mind. He can see it all perfectly. Oikawa even has codenames for everyone. He is probably “Milk Head”. Then the Oikawa in his mind starts dancing ballet, large leaps and twirls, to soft melodious piano music. The music sounds odd, like it is being played in a room behind a closed door.

It _is_ being played in a closed room. There actually is music being played, although there are thankfully no dancing Oikawas.

Tobio walks out into the hallway, following the music. Tsukishima’s door is wide open and he can see Yachi flitting nervously about. Yachi flits a lot, but after a while you get used to it. He walks closer and sees Takahashi-san sitting in an armchair, the couple who lives on the floor below cross-legged on the floor and Tsukishima Kei, calmly playing like half the building isn’t listening to him, like the power isn’t out, like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

Tobio hovers in the doorway, watching Tsukishima’s fingers glide over the black and white keys of the piano. He looks so peaceful playing. His face relaxes and so do his shoulders. Tobio wonders if that is what he looks like when he plays, or if he looks grumpy and serious. He hopes he looks relaxed, because even though the drop toss gives him a headache, volleyball relaxes him.

Takahashi-san notices him creeping and calls out, “Come in Tobio-kun.” He flushes as everyone looks at him- even Tsukishima. His fingers falter and stop, which makes Tobio feel funny inside, like he is important enough to stop Tsukishima’s playing.

“Pardon the intrusion.” Tobio mumbles, even though Tsukishima can see him, and steps inside. He sits down next to the couple from downstairs, who both send him smiles. Yachi waves at him and Tsukishima starts playing again, like there was no interruption.

As the night plods on, slowly but surely people start to leave. First to go is Yachi, who bows quickly and thanks Tsukishima for the music. Tsukishima looks awkward, like he doesn’t know what to do in the face of compliments, which Tobio finds ironic for a renowned musician. Then the couple from downstairs leaves, when the silver-haired one falls asleep on the bigger one’s shoulder. They make their way downstairs slowly, and Tobio hears one of them cuss as they nearly slip.

Takahashi-san leaves half an hour later. She winks at Tobio, which is probably even more confusing than anything Oikawa does.

Tobio stands up soon after. He shifts his weight a bit, trying to wake his legs up and also not knowing what to say. What do you say to the man who played the piano for almost an hour straight? Thank you?

Tsukishima clears his throat awkwardly. “You... you can stay if you want.” he says. He sounds for all the world like he doesn’t care but he’s stopped playing. He’s just staring at the sheet music in front of him, his ears slowly reddening.

“I’m asexual.” Tobio blurts. No one has ever called him smooth. In fact, Oikawa once said that he was “about as smooth as chunky peanut butter, but probably better tasting”.

Tsukishima laughs. He turns around to look at Tobio, his expression soft. “I’m sleep deprived and my fingers are numb.” he tells him. “Honestly, I just want to kiss you and then cuddle you.”

Tobio blinks. At least he’s straight-forward about his intentions. “Okay.” he says softly. Tsukishima stands up and crosses the room in two paces. He cups Tobio’s face in his hands, and kisses him gently, like he’s afraid Tobio will break.

“You are a really good kisser.” Tobio mumbles when they pull apart. Tsukishima smirks.

“Thank you.” he says and then pulls Tobio towards the bedroom.

They fall asleep curled together and Tobio feels safer than he has in years. They wake up, still curled together, sunlight gently flickering through Tsukishima’s partially closed curtains onto their faces, and Tobio feels happy and content and welcome. He sees the same thing on Tsukishima’s face and, with no hesitation, leans forwards and kisses him.

 

“See I told you it would be romantic!” Oikawa teases the next day during practice. Tobio does not even feel annoyed. The buoyant feeling that came to him when he first kissed Tsukishima has carried him to this moment, and even now he still feels like he’s floating, like a volleyball coming for a perfect receive.

“Of course senpai.” he replies, and tries not to laugh at Oikawa’s surprised squeak.

 

**Author's Note:**

> cheesy title is cheesy. this is getting harder and harder to keep up with and im barely halfway there. oh noooooooo


End file.
